July 30, 2013

Ben Bass credits Leon Lett, former coach Brian Baker and practice-squad work for where he is now

There can be advantages to being a practice squad player.
Ben Bass knows.

The second-year defensive end, playing first-team because
Anthony Spencer and Tyrone Crawford are hurt, spent most of last season on the
practice squad, and that is where he learned some versatility.

“Last year I was Julius Peppers when we played the Chicago
Bears. I was Geno Atkins when we played the Bengals,” he said at training camp over the weekend. “They put me in
different positions. They asked me to play a nose, a 3-technique, an end, a
head-up 5 in a 3-4 defense depending on what team we were facing that week.”

Bass said assistant defensive line coach Leon Lett
encouraged him about playing end, and he also credited former assistant
defensive line coach Brian Baker with his development last year.

“ ‘Big Cat’ was the one who told me, ‘Yeah, you can play
end,’ Bass said. “I knew I could, but it’s kind of nice when somebody
reinforces what you believe.”